Patent GB-191206358-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Addressing Machinery.
IPC: B41L47/18
Filed: 1911-07-05
Granted: 1912-06-27
Abstract: 6358. Marks, E. C. R., [Montague Mailing Machinery Co.]. July 5, 1911. Addressing-machines.-In an addressing-machine, the address plates are fed across the printing position by an intermittently - actuated chain 25 from a hopper 29, the upper part 29<1> of which is slidable into position for filling without stopping the machine. The type-plate delivery devices 49 are actuated by mechanism controlled by the height of the pile in the delivery trough 47, and pass the plates into a removable receiving trough 48 by which the hopper 29<1> is refilled. Means for stopping the machine in case an address plate sticks, or when no magazine is fed by chains 1, are provided. The address plates travel in a path across the path of magazines, and have depressed margins engaging with grooves in the table 5 to guide the plates. One of the grooves is made sufficiently deep to carry the driving-chain 25, which has lugs 28 to engage one margin of each plate, the plates being pressed down on this side by a spring- pressed frame. The chain 25 is driven intermittently through a shaft B on which a freewheel clutch 93 is mounted. Round the loose part of this clutch, a chain 82<1> is partly wrapped and attached at the other end to a spring 82. Another chain 83 is wrapped round the loose part in the opposite direction, so that when a lever 85 on the shaft 17, to which the chain is attached, pulls the chain 83 downwards, the spring 82 is extended, but on the upward movement of the chain 83, the spring 82 turns the clutch, and through the pawl 92x drives the shaft B unless an address plate sticks and thereby prevents the movement of the clutch. In this case, the chain 83 slackens, and allows two portions of the operating-lever 85 on the shaft 17 to move relatively to each other at the pivot 86, and close an electric circuit at the contacts 87, 88, by which the machine is stopped. The plates, after the printing operation, are delivered into a curved trough 47, by which the pile is turned from a vertical to an horizontal position. The pile increases in height until the top plate engages a pin 75 oscillated by a lever 74, link 69, and lever 70 on the shaft 17. When this pin 75 is prevented from moving inwards by the presence of a plate, the lower portion of the bell-crank lever 74 bends at 71, and allows an auxiliary arm 68 to lower the link 64. This link lowers an oscillating hook 61 which engages another hook 62 on a lever 58<1> engaging with the ratchet-wheel 52 which is thus turned and drives the toothed wheel 49 engaging the edges of the plates, thus moving the horizontal portion of the pile forward and allowing the remainder of the pile to drop. The plates are pushed into a removable receiving-trough 48 having spring catches to prevent the plates from falling out. To put the toothed wheels 49 out of action, a circular mask 89 may be turned into position to separate the pawl 53 and the ratchet-wheel 52. To re-fill the hopper from the receiving trough, the upper portion 29<1> is slid along the bar 32 to the stop 40. The receiving trough is then passed into the hopper 29<1> until the inclines 41, 42 force the spring catches apart so that the pile of plates can drop on to the holder 33. The portion 29<1> is then moved back again above the main portion 29, and the holder 33 is lowered against the action of a spring 36 until it rests on the pile in the hopper 29. It is then turned so as to be free of the plates, and raised again.